SNOW IS “SPECIAL”
IN WIN OVER SCOTTSDALE
by Rick Pike

Badgers move to 7-1 with 24-22 Victory

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ—October 22, 2005—Snow College was special when it counted most Saturday evening in Scottsdale. Down 22-18 with 1:13 remaining in the game, the Badger special teams blocked a Scottsdale field goal attempt and returned it 65 yards for the game-winning touchdown. Josh Crittenden, a freshman from Box Elder, broke through the Artichoke’s protection, blocked the kick, picked the ball up and outran everyone to the end zone.

“Coach DeCol called an all out block. Normally, we send one side but everyone was going on that play,” said Titan Trimble, Snow’s head coach. “Crittenden did a great job of not only getting there but having the awareness to scoop the ball up and go. We have great athletes on our special teams and Crittenden is one of them.”

“DeCol has done a great job this season of coaching our special teams kids to ‘scoop and score.’ He reminded them on that play. It couldn’t have happened at a more important time.”

Scottsdale blocked the point after attempt and fielded the ensuing kickoff at the 23-yard line with 50 seconds remaining. After consecutive pass plays of 17 and 20 yards, the Artichokes were first and 10 at the Badger 40 with 36 seconds remaining. Snow pressured Scottsdale into two incomplete passes. On third down, Derrick Brown, a sophomore from Box Elder, sealed the Snow victory with an interception. Final score Snow 24, Scottsdale 22. Whew!

Snow jumped to a 15-7 halftime lead. Quarterback James Pritchard led the offense on a 90-yard scoring drive in the first quarter and scored on a one-yard run. Scottsdale answered right back when quarterback Ryan O’Hare passed to Ryan Patterson for a touchdown.

The second quarter was all Snow. Brett Madsen, a linebacker from Mt. Pleasant, tackled O’Hare in the endzone for a safety. Later in the quarter, Pritchard scored on a five-yard run for a 15-7 lead. The scoring drive followed an Artichoke fumble.

Ironically, Snow’s special teams were the only negative in the first half. Adrian Vera missed a 47-yard field goal and missed an extra point in the second quarter.

The second half was a see saw ride. Scottsdale tied the score on their first drive of the third quarter with a touchdown and two-point conversion. Snow regained the lead when Vera kicked a 40-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter. The Artichokes finally took the lead with a 70-yard drive culminating with O’Hare’s second touchdown pass.

The Badgers appeared beaten when James Pritchard was sacked on fourth down at Snow’s 25-yard line with approximately three minutes remaining. Scottsdale took over on downs 25 yards away from paydirt. On third and two, the Badger defense threw the Artichokes for a three-yard loss forcing a field goal attempt and setting up Crittenden’s heroics.

“That was a tough second half for our offense. Credit the Scottsdale defense. They have a great scheme and great players – especially on the line,” said Trimble. “Our offensive line was also a little banged up and we didn’t throw to some open areas of the field in the second half.”

“But this is a team game and our defense and special teams have taken big roles in the past and present. We as coaches expect them to make plays. It’s a mistake to lie scoring solely at the feet of an offense. As coaches we want – and we have – playmakers in all phases of the game.”

Snow is 7-1 and sure to move up from the 13th position in the NJCAA Top 20 after several teams ahead of the Badgers lost this week. Snow welcomes New Mexico Military Saturday for homecoming at 1:30 p.m. It is the final home game for the Badgers due to Pima’s decision to forfeit their season.

The Snow College games can be heard locally on KMTI-Am 650 and right here on SnowBadgers.com